Adaptive Games: More Bang for Your Buck?

Adaptive Games: More Bang for Your Buck?

October 12, 2009

Two researchers at the IT University in Cohenhagen, Denmark, are looking at creating adaptive games that would change as you play them and learn whether you are playing to be competitive or just for fun.

According to an article in New Scientist, Julian Togelius and Georgios Yannakakis gathered volunteers to play two separate versions of Super Mario Bros. The game had been altered by changing the type and number of enemies and the size and gaps between platforms. The game was also set to record the moves that players made and how long they took standing still.

Some of the findings:

Some early results appear obvious. "If you die by falling too often down gaps that is indicative of frustration," says Yannakakis. However, the approach goes beyond "common sense" associations to uncover those that are not so readily apparent, he says. In Super Mario Bros, for example, hitting bricks to release coins or stomping turtle shells and throwing them - activities not necessary to accomplish the overall goal - positively correlate with a fun experience, Togelius says.

While this experiment is an interesting concept, the thought I found most disturbing is that, according to Ian Bogost associate professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, some developers may resist the idea because "some wonder if this effort destroys the potential for art to produce the unfamiliar or disturbing." In my mind, the two can live separately. If you create games for gamers, let the game adapt. If you want to create art, then don't.

A good read no matter what side of the fence you are on.

Posted in

Comments

Re: Adaptive Games: More Bang for Your Buck?
Submitted by TJLK - October 12, 2009 at 10:58 am -0500

I've been putting much thought into this topic for the past few years.

Frankly I think all games are art, not going to get into the debate but I have yet to hear a decent argument against games as art.  Not one (and I've read/heard quite a few)

In my eyes creating games that adapt to the player has a higher potential of being a successful work of art.  It would absolutely have a higher possiblity of creating a virtual world that is unique to the user.  How does this disqualify it as art?  I see this concept as more interesting than many games we play today.

Re: Adaptive Games: More Bang for Your Buck?
Submitted by nighstalker160 - October 12, 2009 at 12:29 pm -0500

I agree that gaming in general is an art form but I think games are like movies. There are some truly groundbreaking art but there is also plenty of "popcorn" fodder that's just meant to be fun. No one is going to confuse "Transformers" with "Schindler's List" in the same way no one is going to confuse "Brutal Legend" with "Shadow of the Colossus"

Re: Adaptive Games: More Bang for Your Buck?
Submitted by Wraith108 - October 12, 2009 at 12:14 pm -0500

I  may be missing the point as I've not read the full article yet but things like adaptive AI that changes to go easier on players that are struggling or gets tough on better players have been about for ages though that's more enemies/opponents rather than the actual level design. As for games as art, I think they are to a lesser or greater degree just like there are great films and books and also trashy pulp fiction (ironic as I'd class the movie in the great catagory) books and crummy B-movie exploitation pics and brainless blockbusters.

Re: Adaptive Games: More Bang for Your Buck?
Submitted by KayleL - October 12, 2009 at 12:37 pm -0500

I find that what makes a game fun is the experience. You can not point out what exactly makes all games fun because it varies from game to game.

Some games are all about the well design game-play, which we see in indie games all the time. They don't necessary need the greatest in graphics. Then there are the graphics whore games like Crysis which would be meaningless without it's graphics. Other games are about the epic cinematic moments like Shadow of the Colossus where you feel like you are playing an epic tale in an outstanding movie. There are the games about the story, and how it unfolds. Almost any recent Bioware game falls under that.

Re: Adaptive Games: More Bang for Your Buck?
Submitted by Roh02 - October 12, 2009 at 2:41 pm -0500

the trick will be for the game to recognise what you want it to recognise. you dont want the game to get easier because you were messing about for 5 minuets maybe trying out different ways the character can die YAY FIRE WHEEE ARGHHHHH heheheheh.

Re: Adaptive Games: More Bang for Your Buck?
Submitted by TJLK - October 12, 2009 at 3:40 pm -0500

I agree, it also has to take into account "the rotation".  What I mean by that is if you're sitting with friends playing a game, GTA for example, you tend to pass the controller around the room.  Adapting to 3 different players is much different than adapting to one.


Re: Adaptive Games: More Bang for Your Buck?
Submitted by Bennett Beeny - October 12, 2009 at 6:28 pm -0500

"If you create games for gamers, let the game adapt. If you want to create art, then don't."

Why not have both?  Optional settings so that the player can decide if he wants a linear or an adaptive experience.  Not sure why we're still debating optional settings 30+ years into the development of video games.  More options are always better.

Re: Adaptive Games: More Bang for Your Buck?
Submitted by ZippyDSMlee - October 13, 2009 at 11:23 am -0500

This combined with a 3 part diffcuilty setting(damage taken,damge given/AI) can make the AI more responsive and that I would like...I hate tone deaf AI or jsut weak AI like in Bioshock....

Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy! Stop supporting big media and furthering the criminalization of consumers!! http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

GamePolitics ShoutBox

Posted 11/22/09 at 09:45am
ZippyDSMlee: JD:I think doc phill is still sout about the break up with his wife he dose not fill holes as much as make them bigger these day
Posted 11/22/09 at 12:06am
JDKJ: You should get Phil McCraken to help you spackle those banisters.
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:57pm
ZippyDSMlee: Oh in the pirate hunter article I need my song ieda heckled DS,JD,Beemon sic im !!!
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:56pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:no I am tried from prepping the banisters for painting , worked on them from 12 to 4 and 6 to 8...after I got back from the store...got up early got ready...blah...been up all day..I need a nap...
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:42pm
JDKJ: No. You gonna stay up late tonight soldering?
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:41pm
ZippyDSMlee: JDKJ:Don't you mean Mctite?
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:33pm
JDKJ: @Zip: Neil, Bob, and Lik McTaint. The McTaint brothers. LOL!!!
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:44pm
Flamespeak: I still think military personell, killing other military personell, on a military complex should be handled by military courts.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:43pm
Flamespeak: I could see this a mixture of the two charges rather than just one or the other.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:43pm
Flamespeak: I think this was mainly a person who snapped, but evidence is showing he definitely had strong inlinations to islamic-extremism.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:41pm
Flamespeak: People are trying to claim that Hasan's actions were not terrorism. I don't jump on the 'terror train' like others, however
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:38pm
mentor07825: Britain certainly does deserve it! And the French! God damn it, it was a hand ball!!!
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:34pm
ZippyDSMlee: mentor07825:Well Brittan dose deserve it....
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:33pm
ZippyDSMlee: Alyric:I don;t hasliburton having to pay back billoins... don;t you love it when the rich roll over the goverment without a care?
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:32pm
mentor07825: I say we nuke the whales, for the benefit of both mankind and the environment.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:28pm
Austin_Lewis: I say we try Al Gore too. I always said he was in on the racket.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:16pm
Alyric: The leaked information proves these organizations knowingly defrauded governments (i.e., taxpayers) out of billions of dollars. Yet there will probably never be a trial.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:15pm
Flamespeak: working on other things makes me angry. I might have had a jet pack by now. :p
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:14pm
Flamespeak: Just thinking of all the time and manpower wasted to try and make things emit less CO2 emmision that could have been spent
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:07pm
Alyric: @Zip: FYI, the construction of solar panels puts out more pollution than any form of energy production. To say nothing of the toxic components of the panels that cannot be recycled.
Login or register to post shouts